61 NYC Things That Are Green

St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal in NYC, which means it’s time to paint the town green. We all know that bars pour green beer, bakeries serve green bagels and revelers don sparkly green hats. But that’s only the start when it comes to NYC things that are the color green. Or contain the word “green.” Or whose names are homophones of “green.” Or are kind-of, sort-of greenish. With springtime in sight, join us on our verdant journey—no food coloring (though, in one instance, some serious face painting) required. Then come to New York City and see all of the green attractions for yourself (we’d also recommend embracing the entire spectrum of NYC things, but you’ve got to start somewhere).

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And if you’re looking for eco-conscious travel tips and sustainable things to do or see in New York City, worry not: our site has a whole section on those subjects.

Statue of Liberty. Photo: Julienne Schaer

1. Statue of LibertyThis NYC icon didn’t start out green. The statue’s skin is made of copper and was brown when it was dedicated in 1886. Over 30 years it turned a pale shade of green because of exposure to the elements.

12. WickedThe Gershwin Theatre positively glows with green. That includes the Wicked marquee, the set of the Emerald City and, of course, the skin of the show’s star character. It takes about 20 minutes for actress Jessica Vosk to transform into Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West). Her face, neck and hands are painted using a MAC Cosmetics Chromacake in the shade “Landscape Green.”

17. Monk parakeetsWe’ve got all kinds of birdlife in NYC. Pigeons may first come to mind, but ornithologists know there are more than 400 species to spot here. The most beloved might well be the bright-green monk parakeets (also known as Quaker parrots ) brought to the City around 50 years ago from South America. Many have settled in Queens—but a particularly visible, and noisy, colony resides in the Gothic Revival archway entrance of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery.

24. The seats at Citi FieldThe Mets’ team colors are blue and orange. Their previous ballpark, Shea Stadium, had seats in those colors, plus red and green. But when New York’s National League team moved to their current home, Citi Field, in 2009, they switched to an all dark-green color scheme for their seats. It’s a tribute to the green seats at the Polo Grounds, where the New York Giants played for many years and the Mets spent their first two seasons.

30. Subway globesNo, those glowing orbs aren’t just sitting on top of subway entrances to look pretty; they have a purpose. Not only do the orbs make it easier to spot a station, the green ones (and half green too) are there to let you know an entrance is open; red ones indicate that a stairway is closed or exit only.

37. Pistachio pizza, Dar 525With the exception of the odd green basil leaves, NYC pizzas are typically red and white. But Syrian restaurant Dar 525 serves an all-green pie. Made with parmesan and mozzarella cheese, onion and rosemary, it’s topped with pistachios and cooked to a golden green color. The result is a healthy-ish and striking pizza.

40. Central ParkIn a city with 30,000 acres of parkland—roughly enough to cover all of San Francisco—Central Park stands out for its mix of formal landscaping and wild patches, its natural attractions (20,000 trees!) and man-made monuments (a 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk!), and its setting smack in the middle of Manhattan. Right at the park’s heart is the Great Lawn—as lovely a patch of green as you’ll find.

47. McSorley’s Old AlehouseThe sign above McSorley’s wasn’t always green— but it is now, as are the barrels out front, guiding you inside on your way to a pint. Much else about the bar has remained the same since it opened in 1854. There’s still sawdust on the floor and memorabilia covering the walls, and there’s only ale (light or dark) on the drink menu.

52. Kermit the Frog, Museum of the Moving ImageWhile Kermit claims it’s not be easy bein’ green, he’s certainly made quite the career of it. After debuting in black and white on a Washington, DC, TV show in 1955, he moved to NYC’s Sesame Street in the 1960s, got his own variety show in the 1970s and made some movies with his furry friends over 20-odd years. Visit him at this ongoing exhibit of Jim Henson’s work.

58. The Ceiling at Grand Central Terminal’s Main ConcourseOfficially, the color used for the background of Grand Central Terminal’s celestial ceiling mural is cerulean blue, meaning a blue intended to resemble the night sky. Seems simple enough. But plenty of people will tell you that it looks green, greenish or, at the least, blue green. And the product used to clean the ceiling during its restoration was called Simple Green. Plus, let’s say the color is blue. Combine that with the yellow stars, and you’ve got green. Basically, we like Grand Central Terminal so much we’ll take any excuse to include it here.